O Winter!
by Adleisio
Summary: A series of probably unrelated one-shots mostly revolving around Jack Frost and his interactions with the other characters.


**Chapter 1: What happened?**

_Hi everyone! I've had a whole bunch of ideas floating around in my head for a while and they're starting to get rowdy; I thought putting them down on paper would quiet them down. I'll post a new chapter whenever inspiration strikes me and am open to suggestions! _

_So this little creation of mine is how I think the sleigh ride home after the guardians defeated Pitch went. It basically consists of Jack telling the others what happened in between the Easter disaster and when they meet up at Jamie's home. I hope you like it!_

_Also, does anyone else find that mortal Jack looks kind of like Merlin? Or am I just crazy...?_

* * *

Jack Frost looked around wildly. He knew there was no escape. Even if flew to the ends of the earth, they would find him. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he realized that there was only one possible route he could take and live : surrender.

"Fine, I'll tell you what happened."

The other guardians were elated at this news. This question had been plaguing them for a while. After all, what _had_ happened to make Jack come back?

Jack tightened his grip on his staff at their expectant looks, but remained silent. He was really nervous, scared even. The idea of "opening up" was still so new to him, but, then again, 300 years of silence would do that to you. In the end it was Tooth who broke the tense silence:

"So, Jack, what happened after you-um...what happened after Easter?" she prompted.

"Well I hung out in Antarctica for a bit..."Jack trailed off uncomfortably.

"... Ok then, well, why'd you come back?" Tooth said, continuing her interrogation.

At this Jack looked down at his staff, a pained expression evident on his face (evident to the staff that is).

"We are here for you," North said gently, glancing over his shoulder.

Jack looked up, a hopeful look crossing his face at the other guardians' encouraging smiles. Taking a deep breath, he started to tell the others his story.

"I-I guess I had better start before Easter," Jack started timidly, "I had just dropped Sophie back home when I heard someone calling my name. It sounded familiar so I flew towards it. Eventually I arrived at this clearing where there was an old bed sitting there with a hole underneath. The voice called again so I went down. Baby Tooth tried to stop me, but I went anyway.

When I had reached the bottom, the tunnel opened up into this huge cavern with cages hanging from the ceiling. They were filled with the other Baby Tooths. I was going to set them free when I heard that voice again. Looking around, I saw the piles of tooth containers and realized that my teeth must be there somewhere. I-I _know_ I should have just let the others free, but I wanted to know who I was so badly. I wanted to know _why _the Man in the Moon put me here. I was looking through the containers when Pitch showed himself. I tried to attack him but he disappeared. Then I saw him walking along an arch so I ran after him. He asked me if I was afraid, but I wasn't! Not of him at least. He said that he knew what I was afraid of though. He said that I was afraid that no one would ever believe in me, that I was afraid that I would never know why the Man in the Moon chose me. Then he offered me my teeth. I almost took them but I hesitated, and he disappeared again. I followed him and then he started talking about how I was scared to take the teeth because of what you would think. He-he said that you would never accept me, that I make a mess of everything. He tossed me my teeth after that and faded into the shadows. I tried to go after him but I ended up in Bunny's tunnels. I wanted to go back, but it was a dead end. I saw the smashed eggs after that..."

By now Jack was shaking as tears traced their way down his face, freezing before they fell. He seemed to have forgotten that the guardians were there. The guardians on the other hand were all too aware that Jack was there; they were a perfect picture of guilt and horror. Tooth's hands had crept up to cover her mouth and her eyes were wide. North's shoulders had sagged as he steered the sleigh, his face twisted in guilt. Sandy was shaking his head sadly. Bunny was fiddling with one of his boomerangs, his ears limp. As Jack continued on, a single tear landed on his paw.

"When you said how I didn't belong... I thought that Pitch was right. I _do_ mess everything up. I flew to Antarctica so I couldn't hurt anyone else. I was angry and scared, and I wished that that the Man in the Moon hadn't chosen me. I tried to throw away my teeth, but I couldn't do it. That was when Pitch showed up again. He said that he was just trying to show me that you didn't believe in me. He said he understood. I said he didn't understand anything, but then he started talking about how it feels to be cast out, to not be believed in, to...want a family. I think he really did understand. I guess that was why I thought about joining him when he asked; I just wanted to be believed in...but I knew with Pitch that I would just be feared.

I told him to leave me alone, but he pulled out Baby tooth and said he'd let her go if I gave him my staff. I didn't want to, but I decided her life was worth it. When I gave it to him, he didn't let her go, but she was so brave! She stabbed him in the hand with her beak, he let go pretty quickly after that."

Jack seemed to have cheered up slightly at the recount of Baby Tooth's bravery, but, at the next thought, he looked down at his staff again.

"He broke my staff; i-it hurt so much. The he blasted me with nightmare sand and I fell into a ravine. I gave up hope. I felt like a failure. If Baby Tooth hadn't been there I probably wouldn't have come back. She reminded me of my memories so I looked at them.

I had a sister, and I saved her! We were skating but the ice was too thin. I got her onto the thick ice in the end, but I ended up on the thin ice instead. I fell in and drowned...but I saved her. Those memories made me realized why I am guardian. That was why I came back.

I fixed my staff and flew back to Pitch's lair. That was where I saw the last light: Jamie. I flew over to his house and you guys know the rest."

As Jack finished his story, he looked up, his trance broken. The realization that they had heard everything dawned on him. In fear, he fled. Tooth made a move to go after him, but Bunny stopped her.

"We should leave him alone for a bit."

"I know, it's just that I have so much to apologize for! We didn't even stop to think that maybe Pitch lured him to his lair. We accused him for something that wasn't his fault, and almost lost a valuable ally and friend in the process."

"I know," Bunny sighed, "We'll just have to show him how much he means to us. We'll show him that he is part of a family now, that he is loved. We'll show him that he _is_ believed in!"

* * *

_Wow. That was a lot more depressing than I had intended. And also much fluffier..._

_By the way, I know Jack probably wouldn't really open up like that, but I thought that he might have zoned out and gotten into his story; maybe forgetting that the other guardians were there?_

_Anyway, I'll see you again some other time! Bye for now!_


End file.
